Despite losing to the Cleveland Browns last week, the 49ers were, and still are, one of the best teams in the league. Despite missing versatile receiver Deebo Samuel and beastly left tackle Trent Williams, the 49ers were expected by nearly everyone to easily handle the Vikings. The Vikings controlled the game and handled the 49ers.
The game started for the Vikings as too many games have started this season. With a turnover. The first play was a crisp 19-yard Alexander Mattison run to the 49ers 44-yard line. After a play for no gain, Kirk Cousins forced a pass across the middle to rookie receiver Jordan Addison. He and Charvarius Ward wrestled for the ball. Ward came away with it. 49ers ball. It was the Vikings fourth opening drive turnover of the season. They’ve only played seven games. Unbelievable. But this game was going to be different. Five plays later, the Vikings took the ball from the 49ers. Cam Bynum and Harrison Smith forced a Christian McCaffrey fumble and Dean Lowry recovered. From this point, this Vikings did something they’d yet to do this season. They played good football.
Kirk Cousins was brilliant.
Cousins has been criticized, chastised, and derided for his supposed play in prime time games. Monday night games, in particular. For some reason, few other quarterbacks are under such a microscope. For what it’s worth Cousins has now won three of his last five Monday night games. He was brilliant last night.
35 completions
45 attempts
378 yards
2 touchdowns
The early interception was pretty much his only blemish. The Vikings offensive line protected him all game against the 49ers overwhelming pass rush. Cousins wasn’t sacked. He was rarely touched. He moved well in the pocket the few times the rush got close.
Forced to play without all-everything receiver Justin Jefferson, this may have been the most calm and locked-in I’ve ever seen Cousins play. Perhaps his most remarkable stretch of play was when he was also without tight end T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Addison. Cousins simply made plays with Brandon Powell, Ty Chandler, and Trishton Jackson. Cousins completed passes to nine receivers. Five receivers had at least 30 yards. It was a game-long pitch-and-catch and Cousins was pitching beautifully. He diced up the 49ers great defense.
Jordan Addison.
The rookie receiver let Ward get the better of him on the early interception. Addison got even at the end of the first half. Ward had lined up an interception on a Cousins deep throw. Addison simply took the ball from him and raced untouched for about 30 yards to complete a 60-yard touchdown. Maybe the 49ers never quite recovered from the stunning play that gave the Vikings a 16-7 halftime lead. This was Addison’s break out game. He hasn’t played like a rookie through the first six games. He played like a game-changing star in his seventh game.
7 catches
123 yards
2 touchdowns (20, 60)
The 49ers defensive backs couldn’t handle Addison. They, Ward in particular, held, pushed, and restrained him routinely. When Jefferson gets back on the field, the Vikings receiving duo is going to be a blast.
The offensive line.
Again, the offensive line was excellent. Cousins was provided the protection to be brilliant. The running game was effective enough that it couldn’t be ignored.
The defense.
The highlight of the defense was the play of safety Cam Bynum. The Vikings defense had three takeaways. Bynum was involved in all three. He helped force the McCaffrey fumble. He intercepted Brock Purdy twice to end the 49ers final two opportunities to win the game. Bynum is developing into a big-time football player. He’s always around the ball. And he often seems to end up with it.
The defense wasn’t perfect. There were too many 49ers pass catchers running free. What the defense did best was stuff was the 49ers run game. They held the 49ers to 65 yards on the ground. A 3.0 average per carry. Despite scoring two touchdowns, and making the Vikings look silly on one of them, superhuman Christian McCaffrey looked merely human.
The special teams left something to be desired. Greg Joseph missed an extra point and a long field goal. He makes both and the Vikings ice the game with two minutes to play. Ryan Wright’s lone punt was a touchback and 22-yard net.
Complimentary offense-defense football forced a great 49ers team to play catchup all game. And they couldn’t catch up. The Buffalo Bills win last season was great. A lot of miraculous things had to happen for the Vikings to win that game. This win over the 49ers is probably the best win of Kevin O’Connell’s 17 wins. The Vikings never trailed. After that early interception, they controlled this game. It was beautiful.
The Vikings travel to Green Bay this weekend for an opportunity to get to .500.
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